Disclaimer: ....You should know it by heart by now.

HFG: I hath updated... AGAIN! Fear my wrath! FEAR IT.

In this world you tried
Not leaving me alone behind
There's no other way
I'll pray to the gods let him stay
The memories ease the pain inside,
Now I know why
Memories - Within Temptation

"Don't you mean three, Fatso!"

The words, so high pitched Octavius swore they were screeched, caused a deep sense of dread to blossom in his heart. Without giving his companion any warning, the scientist swung an arm outward and wrapped the tentacle around Mary's waist. The woman gave no objection. If anything, she dug her nails into the flexible metal as encouragement.

He knew that voice. Octavius knew that voice, and it wasn't from memories of sweet days gone by. The voice belonged to the one man Octavius had tried desperately to keep away from Mary, and especially from Memory. Cletus Kasady had somehow escaped the asylum, and had now found the pair of them. Things had officially gone from bad to worse.

To his great surprise, Kasady did not step out of the shadows, as Octavius expected him to. In fact, he did not seem to be anywhere in the vicinity, though Octavius could have sworn he heard his cackling voice. Judging by the look in Mary's eyes, she heard him as well.

"Where is he?" She murmured, placing both hands on the tendril around her waist, "I know he's here. I can sense the memories echoing in the back of his head. Memories of death and destruction… and blood. There is always blood. I can't find him, Octavius."

Octavius did not speak. Instead he chose to look around, to search for the voice that belonged to one of the most twisted minds he had ever come across. And that, my dear friends, was saying a lot considering who all he had ever done business with. Still, no one moved. Not a shadow twitched; not even the wind dared to breathe. Even the earth knew someone was out there; it was just a matter of time until he dared to show his breath.

"Such a touching scene," Kasady's voice cooed, "Beauty, and her beloved monster. They have finally be reunited in what was sure to be the happily ever after guaranteed to all little princesses."

In the back of his mind, he heard Mary whisper. Octavius whirled; tentacles extended, ready to defend if it was necessary. But then he froze. The person before them, the person perched on the edge of the roof, wasn't Kasady. He couldn't have been. Kasady was a fierce redheaded man. This…disgusting, red-covered creature was an utter monster.

But the grin that spread upon its face, and the voice that followed, begged to differ. Even if their appearance was different, the gleam in those white eyes told a different story. Cletus Kasady was dead, they said. The man, the monster, crouched before them was stronger, better, than Kasady ever could have been. But he was just as deadly, and just as psychotic.

"What are you?" Mary whispered, and Octavius swore he detected a hint of Memory's innocence in that question.

Kasady's face split into a twisted smile, and a mad little giggle escaped, "You don't recognize me, little Mary? Oh, how very disappointing…" He shook his head in what was more than just a mocking gesture, and then stood. He approached the two with almost a bounce in his step, "It's me, my dear. Kasady. Though I, we, prefer to go by the name Carnage now. Much more appropriate, don't you think so?"

Something wasn't right. Something was most definitely wrong. He could see that now, or perhaps he had always known it. Whenever Kasady was around, nothing was ever truly right. The man was far too unpredictable for Octavius' taste, what with his sociopathic ways and lack of respect for any sort of authority. Octavius may not have been what the world considered "law abiding," but he did respect the order of things. Kasady respected nothing but Chaos and Blood. That was enough to put the scientist on edge.

That, and the way Kasady eyed his Mary.

"What do you want, Kasady?" Octavius hissed, a way of speaking he rarely took with anyone, especially his enemies. Usually he was calm when he spoke; his emotions were always controlled. Now the anxiety he was feeling was almost palpable, so he pushed it back. He had to appear in control, after all.

"What do I want?" Kasady – Carnage – repeated. He looked almost amused by the question, and tilted his head to the side, thinking. There was a long moment of silence in which no one spoke; only one dared to draw a breath. That same man chuckled, "I want many things. But, at the moment, all I want is my little Memory."

Mary tensed. His arm tightened around her waist ever so slightly, a sign of possessiveness that did not escape any of those gathered. Even Carnage saw and it caused his grin to widen. From the dripping red mass that covered his body, four tendrils extended. All were wider, and much sharper on the end, that Octavius', and the scientist knew. This confrontation would end in violence.

Not that he truly expected less of Cletus Kasady.

"Leave," Octavius hissed, and drew his own tentacles in the air – save for the one that was clutching onto Mary, "now, Kasady. Before blood is drawn."

But the madman only cackled, throwing his head back as high pitched giggles echoed off the glittering New York skyline. His shoulders shook with the force behind them, and Octavius realized, dryly, how ridiculous his suggestion had been. Kasady was a serial killer, a murderer drawn to blood like a moth to the flame. He believed in corruption, and a block that kept all from being like him. Octavius could only imagine what Kasady would do if he got his blood stained hands on Memory.

You're sounding like the hero, Mary remarked inside his head, and Octavius winced. He was starting to sound a bit like that horrid arachnid, something that the scientist would remedy as soon as this situation was over. But first, he had to deal with Kasady.

"Draw your weapons, fatso," Kasady's eyes twinkled with madness, "we're gunna have a draw."

"Unfortunately for you, Kasady," his tentacles flared up, taking their proper places, "my weapons are already drawn. And I have much more practice with them than you do." His forth tentacle released Mary, then joined its brothers.

Just for a second. Then we will rejoin the others.

Otto, this time, it was Memory who reached across the bond, Otto, I'm scared. Don't let him… I sense blood, and madness… Please, don't let him…

"I won't."

Mary knew that was meant for both of them, and so she nodded. Memory shifted nervously inside her head, but otherwise did not respond. The pair knew what trouble they would get into if they dared to interrupt this battle with their careless thoughts. Octavius was a scientist, plain and simple. He needed to calculate and to understand. She would not take that from him.

Kasady swung out a tendril.

Octavius saw it coming a mile away and dodged, leaping up into the air.

With a giddy giggle, Kasady let another tendril slither forwards.

Octavius cursed when he realized what was happening. He shot an arm forward, and then another. With rapid speed they approached the floor of the roof, trying to pin or even slice the tendril as it darted. It was critical they do so now, before…

No!

Kasady's tendril wrapped around Mary's waist and snapped backwards, pulling her towards the red-clad madman. Fear, pure and unadulterated, struck Octavius' heart at the sight. Oh, God. He hadn't calculated this. How could he have calculated this?

"You should have known better, fatso." Kasady giggled, opening his arms so Mary could rest against his chest. Though she struggled, more and more tendrils extended, wrapping around her form, keeping her still. He placed a hand against her cheek, "That is why you don't fight, isn't it? You're supposed to be the brains of your little operation. And yet… You were outsmarted by me!" He fell into another fit of mad giggles.

"You… You…" For the first time in his life, Octavius found himself unable to comprehend the situation. Even as a tendril wrapped around Mary's neck, he couldn't grasp the fact he had been beaten, although underhandedly, by Kasady of all people. "Release her."

The tendril around Mary's neck tightened; Octavius felt pain blossom in the very back of his head.

"Release her? I think not." He ran a finger over the young woman's mouth, leaving behind a dripping trail of gook that covered her lips, keeping them shut, "I was hired to bring her back, and I will do so."

Fear accompanied the pain, and Octavius felt his hands ball into fists, "You will release her, Kasady!"

A snarl rumbled deep in Kasady's chest, and a pair of tendrils shot out. Though one was stopped by Octavius' second tentacle, the other managed to wrap around his throat, lifting him high into the air. The anger rolling off "Carnage" was almost visible.

"I think," he murmured, the tendril lifting Octavius higher, "it's time you learned your proper place, Octavius. And that is at my feet, with the rest of the world!"

With that, the roof rushed up to meet Octavius. There was a flash of white

and everything went black.

HFG: Oh noes! Otto has been knocked unconscious! Kasady has Mary and Memory! what will happen next? Press the No-Longer-Green-Review-Button to find out!